Human Sexuality Reflection Paper

Essay by JimmyJohnCollege, UndergraduateA, November 2009

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SexualityThe term sexuality refers to the identities we construct based on our sexual conduct. Every culture has what is referred to as a sexual script. A sexual script is a set of ideas and practices that determine who we have sex with, what is considered sex, how often, and why we have sex. This idea was brought forth by John Gagnon in 1977. He also introduced the term sexual socialization. Sexual socialization is the culmination of our learning of the sexual tendencies of influences surrounding us. Our desires can be effected by what your culture accepts as well. Sexuality varies with time periods as well. The books cites an example of how fifty years ago muscular men were ugly and it was in to be slim. Now it is quite obvious that a man needs to be very much in shape to achieve today's idea of sexy in the United States.

Sexual behavior is any behavior that brings sexual pleasure or release. Behavior can differ widely from culture to culture. We tend to engage in acts which can be classified as deviant when it comes to our sexual behavior. One example is the subject of autoeroticism. Pleasing one's self is considered taboo yet according to Laumann and Michaels ninety percent of men admit to participating in it with forty percent of women as well.

Sexual Identity is an identity that is organized by the gender of the person to whom we are sexually attracted to. If you are attracted to the opposite sex you are considered to be heterosexual. If you are attracted to the same sex you are considered to be homosexual. However, if you are attracted to both you are identified as a bi sexual. No matter how a person feels about what orientation they are it does...